Welcome to Adopt-a-Patch! Join our growing team of patch guardians and help restore forest habitats by pulling garlic mustard in your patch.

What is Garlic Mustard?

Garlic Mustard is an invasive plant, originally from Europe, that has become widespread in North America. It grows in a variety of habitats but is particularly problematic in the forest understory, where it takes over and replaces native plants. It can be very difficult to remove because each year it produces thousands of tiny seeds that can stick around in the soil for upwards of 5-9 years. To eliminate Garlic Mustard from an area, every plant must be pulled each year before it produces more seed. It can take around 5 years of consistent pulling before a population of Garlic Mustard is under control. We need your help to make sure this happens!

How can you help?

You can adopt your own patch in the forest and commit to pulling all the garlic mustard in it each year! Plots are 10x10m so they're a managable size to clear in 1-2 visits in the spring. You're also welcome to visit your patch again in fall to get a head start for the following spring.

If you stick with the program for a few years, you'll also get to plant native wildflowers in your patch once the invasive Garlic Mustard has been kicked out.

Feel free to bring family and friends to help out - many hands make light work!

Sounds great! How do I adopt my patch?

Adopt-a-patch is currently running at two of our properties: Five Points Forest and Hawk Cliff Woods. Simply sign up at the bottom of this page and you'll receive updates about upcoming workshops. Workshops take place in the spring each year. You can also check the event listings to see upcoming workshops.

Have more questions? Feel free to contact Rebecca at 519-858-3442, or rebecca.launchbury@ttlt.ca

Hawk Cliff Woods is available now, and Thames Talbot Land Trust has a unique opportunity to acquire this important piece of Lake Erie shoreline. With your help, TTLT can secure this irreplaceable upland and ravine forest. TTLT will protect and enhance this woodland in perpetuity.

We ask you to please donate generously to the Hawk Cliff Woods campaign. Your donation will support the purchase and stewardship of this incredible property. You will also help us to increase our Opportunities Fund and Endowment Fund, so that we may continue our conservation work on other ecologically significant lands.